New Year, New Everyone: The Power of New Year's Resolutions for Children and Teens (and all of us!)

I think we can all agree, even though we may not always do so, that making New Year's Resolutions is a good thing.

Resolutions are even better when they lead to goal setting! Not wimpy goal setting, but powerful, motivating benchmarks and goals that will change your child's year (and yours) into something magical and fanstastic!

I recently wrote about the difference between resolutions and goals in my newsletter, Duct Tape & Chocolate. In a nutshell, a resolution is a firm decision to amend one's behavior in some way, hopefully for the positive. A goal is something a person, adult or child, reaches for because it is important to achieve.

We should all goal set. Officially. On paper. After ruminating for a time on changes we wish to make or where we want to be. Children, too, need to learn the process of goal setting at an early age. And while goal setting does not have to happen at the beginning of a year, the start of a new year is a good time to re-evaluate or set some goals.

But just what are the perks and payoffs of New Year's resolutions or goals for a child or a teen? (And, yes, for you, too!)

Payoff #1: Learning goal setting skills

Resolutions, by their nature and in order to effective, must morph into goals. And goals, by their nature, involve actionable steps that can be measured for progress until the end goal is met. Because of this intricate dance between resolution and goals, children and teens, by making resolutions, will . . .

• learn to set realistic goals..

• learn to break down big goals into smaller, manageable steps.

• will develop valuable planning and problem-solving skills that can last them a lifetime.

Payoff #2: Increased motivation

Having clear resolutions and goals provides motivation and a sense of purpose. Likewise, children and teens feel a sense of accomplishment when they work toward and achieve those goals, no matter how small.

When parents acknowledge a child or teen's hard work and celebrate the accomlishment with them, the payoff is incalculable.

Payoff #3: Builds self-confidence

We all know that confidence, in almost everything, is half the battle. If you believe you can, you generally will do what you set out to do.

When children and teens set goals, and then achieve the intended results, their self-esteem and confidence is boosted. They begin to believe in themselves and their capability of reaching for their dreams, and they begin to make goal-setting a life-long habit.

Payoff #4 - Develop responsibility

Resolutions encourage children and teens to take ownership of their actions and commitments. They also learn the importance of perserverance and following through on promises not only to others, but more importantly, to themselves.

And, let's face it, responsibility is for a lifetime!

Payoff #5 - Family bonding

Don't forget the power of setting resolutions as a family. Doing so makes the process fun and meaningful for children. It encourages open communication and fosters camaraderie as the family works together toward the shared resolution(s) and goal(s).

And, best of all, children and teens see the importance that you, as an adult, place on growing as a person, and they will establish life-long habits that will send them into the destiny they were created for!

A Word to the Wise

It's crucial that you, as a parent and an adult, guide children into setting age-appropriate and achievable resolutions. Resolutions should stretch us, but not be a wish or a pipe-dream.

One way to keep it real is to focus on the process of goal-setting and celebrating those efforts, regardless of the outcome. When resolutions are not reached, teach children and teens that its fine to start over, adjust the goal, and to examine whether their why was big enough. Most importantly, encourage them that giving up is not an option!

And never forget, that in teaching our children/teens, we always learn a little bit about ourselves!

Many your resolutions and goals bring you blessings of peace and prosperity to you and yours this coming 2025!

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Donna Hechler Porter, a graduate of Texas A & M University, is a life-long educator, a published author, and an arm-chair historian. When not writing or teaching, she rescues old furniture from the side of the road, stops at all garage sales, and never meets a thrift store she doesn't fall in love with! Donna has created Donna Hechler Porter, Tutor, to expand her love of reading and writing to help more students, young and old alike, fall into the magic of words and pens and to launch themselves into the futures they were destined for! Contact Donna at dhportertutor@gmail.com 

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